Automatic portable derrick



Oct. 7, 1941. G. HANIQUET 2,258,383

AUTOMATIC PORTABLE DERRICK Filed Dec. 29, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet l Q m V YVV@ |NvEN-roR Tuque/ /Mwh/r ATTORNEY v= @n @Sn rm w ,mwwwmo HY Sn. @Y ea NGV NQHMV u. .0J e x m 9% HW m e a n @a G E. d @uw su N H .mi H w .RH1mm. 5%, @oo @o d, INN! m., www. .q m m mm um d mm m n. @www WM o um....wH 4-\ HP@ w m w 53. n

Oct; 7, 1941. G, HANIQUET AUTOMATIC PORTABLE DERRICK Filed Dec. 29, 19583 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR zye/Eglawue@ r l ATTORNEY 3 Sheets-Sheet 3Oct. 7, 1941. G. HANIQUET AUTOMATIC PORTABLE DERRICK Filed Dec. 29, 1938.ylNVENTOR 7.

gy@ @fm mm1/r ATTORN Patented Oct. 7, 1941 UNITED ,STATES PATENTvOFFICE.

assess:

AUTOMATIC PORTABLE DEBRICK George Haniquet, Glendale, Galli'. lApplication December es, lass, sem No. mesa 1s claims. (o1. 25a-13s)This invention relates to improvements in derricks, particularly of thetype which can be readily transported from place to place. `Theparticular adaptation in mind of the invention is to telephone work. Itis common practice for a ytelephone erecting crew to raise a telephonepole in the hole by the use oi' a fairly large number .of handledspikes.

ment. A derrick so employed naturally reduced 1 the number of menrequired for an individual operation so that some oi the men ordinarilydemanded to complete a crew can be diverted to other and equallyimportant work.

The matter of lightness of the derrick has been touched upon. Althoughthis is a prerequisite it is equally important to be sure that the boomis oi' adequate strength to handle any ordinary size of pole. In thisrespect the use of the invention is not limited to telephone workbecause the derrick can be pressed into service wherever light hoistingis to be done. The structure is such that no energy on the part of thecrew has to be spent in raising the derrick to its working position.When the boom isreleased it rises immediately to its working position ina manner whichis brought out below. With this premise in mind theobjects of the invention are as follows:

First, to provide a portable derrick which is subject to automaticraising into an erect posil tion in respect to its carrier when releasedfrom the clamp which normally holds the boom down. Second, to provide aderrick of the type adapted to be mounted upon and carried by a truck,one of the features oi' the derrick consisting 'of a spring motor forautomatically raising the boom from a horizontal non-working positionupon the truck to an erect and working position in respect to thetruckand ground.

Third, to provide a derrick in which a loadlimiting device is embodiedin the boom-said device being coupled with an appropriate means forautomatically opening an auxiliary ignition switch if the boom is putunder a load so great that the raising of it will endanger themechanical structure.

Other obiects and advantages will appear in the following speciiication.reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation oi the improved automatic portable derrick,illustrating how it may `be mounted upon an automotive truck.

Figure 2 is a cross section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Figure 3. is a fragmental side elevation illustrating the automaticraising act when the boom is released.

Figure 4 is a side elevation, parts being shown in section showing theboom in its erected position.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal section of the spring motolr takensubstantially on the line 5 9 of Fig.

Figure 6 is a horizontal section taken on the line 6-8 of Fig. 5. Figure'I is a tional view of the free endoi' the boom, ticularly illustratingthe load-limiting device. and also illustrating the rope guard. v

Figure' is a section taken on the line 8 9 oi.' Fig. 7, but showing theparts as though the derrick boom were in the erect position.

Fisure'il is a cross section taken on the line 9 9 of Fig. 7.particularly illustrating the rope keeper.

Figure 10 is a I Ii-l l of Fla. 7.

Figure 11 is a cross section taken on the' line I l-i l o1' Fig. 1illustratingone of the boom rests.

Figure l2 is a cross section taken on the line I 2-l2 of Fig. 1illustrating the boom clamp as well as another boom rest.

Figure 13 is a detail sectional view of the foot end of the boom.

In carrying out the invention provision is made of a boom generallydesignated i. This boom comprises anl outer tube 2' oi.' a suitablemetal, either round or mon-circular in cross section. This tube is openat its free and foot ends I, 4. 'I'hese terms are adopted mainly for the'purpose of distinction, the foot end 4 actually being as free as is thesocalled free end 3.

A telescopic tube 5 is slidably tted in the foot end l. Attention isdirected to Fig. 13 for the structural details at this end. 'I'hetelescopic tube i has a heavy internal thread I into which a screw 1 isdriven. This screw has a head l which terminates in a ball 9. -The ballis swivelled in a socket Il on afoot plate I0. This plate is adapted torest on the ground (Fig. 4).

partially sectional and eleva-- cross section taken on the line vinnuence of a heavy spring against the partition 20.

the balland socket connection 8, 3' enabling its adaptation to anyuneven surface.

A short double-headed rod I2 is slidably fitted in a hole I3 in the head8`of the screw 1. This rod is for the purpose of facilitating theturning ofthe screw 1 so as to either extend it from the telescopic tube5 or to drlveit in. 'I'his provision also compensates for ,diil'erencesin elevation of the ground surface.

, Further extension of the foot plate I with respect to the boom tube 2is provided by selectively fitting a key |4 (Fig. 13) into any one of aset of holes I5 in the tube 5. The latter is slotte'lat I6 and a pin I1affixed at its ends in the tube 2, occupies the slot I6 to limit theextension of the tube 5. v y v At the free end 3 of the boom tube 2there is a load-limiting device commonly designated I8 (Fig. 7). Thisdevice consists of a tubular insert I9 which has an integral partition20 contiguous to-its inner end and carries a sheave fork 2| at its outerend. The sheave fork consists of duplicate plates 22 (Fig. 8) which aremade integral with a plate 23. This plate is welded to the tubularinsert' I3 so as virtually to be antintegral part of said insert.lMatching slotsv 24 nin the insert |9 make roomV for a cross bolt 25which limits the extension of the insert I9 under'the 26 which pressesFor the purpose of the spring the boom tube 2 also has a partition 21against which the springv 26 is rested. An electrical switch 28'isattached an ordinary closed type automobile stop light axle itself. Acollar 44 on that end of the axle switch. It has a movable plunger 29.One end of this plunger projects through a hole 30 in the partition 21because of the tensio of a spring (not shown) which tends to keep theplunger in the projected position. A -stud 3| on the partition 20 isadapted to be held .spaced from the plunger 29 by the spring 26'. Whenan overload adjacent to the hole a provides a stop to set the positionof the axle. No matter how tightly the nuts 4I are screwed onto thethreads 42 of the ends 39, there will notbe any binding of the platesagainst the sheave, provided that the large part of the axle 31 is -madeslightly longer than the hub of the sheave.

Eyes 43for guy ropes (not shown) are slipped onto the ends 39 againstthe collar 44, and a washer 44a. The collar` and` washer space the eyesfar enough away from the plates 22 to make a room for the outer ends ofaV pair of braces 45.

. The respective lower and upper ends of these braces arerespectively-welded'to the rim of the plate 23 and to the lplates 22contiguously to the collar 44 and washer 44a, thus fortifying the plates22 against bending under any ordinary circumstance. The fork 2| hasbranches 46, 41 (Fig.v 1) the first pair of which is adapted to bebridged by a rope keeper 48 (Fig. 9). One end of this keeper and one ofthe branches 46 is hingedly connected at 49 so that the keeper can beswungacross or away from the sheave 38.

The other end of the keeper has a lip 56 (Fig.

9) which i s adapted to be engaged by a springv pin 52 which is held inplace by a cotter pin 53.

is imposed on the sheave in the fork 2|, the recession of the tubularinsert I9 into the boom tube 2. against the tension of the spring 26brings the stud 3| into engagement with the plunger 29, a suilicientlycontinued movement actuating the switch 28 to open an electricalcircuit, herein regarded as comprising the ignition circuit of the truckengine E (Fig. "1). This circuit is com- Amonly designated 32.

The wires of this circuit embrace an ignition switch 33 and a relay 34which acts in the capacity of an auxiliary ignition switch. When theignition switch 33 is manually closed the resulting magnetization of therelay core attracts the relay armature 35 and completes the ignitioncircuit which can be traced through the spark coil and timer (bothdesignated, Fig. '1). The

relay may be conveniently mounted anywhere.

on the carrier of the boom, for example on the dash-board (not shown) ofa truck 36. The engine E is adapted to operate a hoisting means, whichmay consist oil the drum 36a on the engine shaft. One end of a hoistcable 36h is wound on this drum, said cable being trained over thesheave 38. mounted in the fork 2|.

As long as the derrick is being operated under safe conditions theswitch 28 remains closed, but when the derrick is subjected to anoverload in the manner indicated, the depression of the plunger 29 andconsequent opening of the switch 28 will automatically open the ignitioncircuit 32 and stop the engine E. Said opening of the The rope or cable36h (Fig. .'1) is easily applied to the groove in the sheave 38 byremoving the pin 52. The keeper 48 is preferably made movable so as tofacilitate applying the cable to the sheave. The particular purpose ofthe keeper is to prevent the rope from jumping the sheave, it beingnoted that the keeper 48 is located on that side of the boom whicheventually becomes the outside. 'I'his circumstance can readily Vbeunderstood by comparing Figs. 1 and 4. The assemblage described up tothis point i mounted on a frame 54 (Figs. 1 and 2). The boom tube: 2 inparticular is secured to this frame. The telescopic tube 5 and thetubular insert I9 obviously cannot be secured to the frame because ofthe necessity of their independent motion relatively to the boom tube.The

' latter has at least one bolt 55 secured through it,

and through the collars 56, 51 of pairs of diverging bars 58, 59. Theerect bars 58 are shown only in part in Fig. 2. These bars are rivetedto extensioners of the collars 56,' 51 and in order to make theconnection of-the collars to the tube 2 as secure as possible bolts 6|are applied to draw the pairs of bars and the extensions of the collarstightly together.

The frame 54 is connected to an elevating mechanism generally designated62. This mechanism comprises a spring motor (Figs 5 and 6). It isadapted to automatically erect the boom 2 (Figs. 3 and 4) when thelatter is released. The

vspring motor also functions to resiliently support the boom in itserect position. Attention is directed to Figs. 5 and 6 for the detailsof the 'of standards 66, 61 (Fig. 5) of which the standard 81 is-highestso as to conform to the obtuse 81, that 'the spring 84 is virtuallydormant when angle at which these standards stand in respect the boom 2is in its inactive position (Fig. 1) and to the plate". Said standardshavematching that the spring 81`is under a supertension in the holes 88which provide bearings for a shaft 8 9. same position of the boom.` Inother words, the The shaft 89 is perpendicular-.to the standards 5spring 81 is wound at this time while the spring and as a consequence ofthe setting of the stand- 88 is virtually unwound.

ards in respect to the base plate 88 the shaft 89 'I'his supertension inthe spring 81 constitutes. is supported at a pitch. This pitch disposesthe a source of latent energy which will raise thel boom I at an inclineboth to the rear oi' the boom when ithe latter is released. To this endtruck 88 (Fig. 4) and to the side of the truck 10 the truck carries apair of rests 98, 94 (Figs. when the boom is erected, the position thusas- 11 and 12) which, together with a strut 95 suined by the boom beingmost advantageous in branching olf from the rest 94 (Fig. 1), carry a/raising a telephone pole. l gutter 98 in which the boom is adapted tofit. In order to make .this standing of the boom a One of the rests, forexample the rest 94, is. prolittle more clear, it is readily seen inFig. 4 that 15 vided with a clamp 91 hinged at 98 and adapted theelevating mechanism 82 -can be so located in to be swung down over ahasp 99 through which respect to the tailof the truck as to stand theeither a pin or the shank of a lock can be inboom on a rearward inclinewhen ithas been serted. raised. The standard 58 comes nearest the rightv When the boom 2 isunclamped at 91, it imme- "side of the truck, thestandard 81 being farther 20 diately starts to rise because of thesupertension toward the center. The shaft 89 is thus pitched of thespring 81. When the boom has reached toward the right side of the truck,this accountthe erect position (Fig. 4) it is secured there by ing forthe outward pitch of the erected boom means oi' a hook |00. This hookisswung on with respect to the truck side. its pivot |0| to engage the'eye |02 of a plate |03 Reverting to Fig. 5, the shaft 59 carries hollow25 on the back of the truck. The hook has a long bolts 18 near itsthreaded ends 1|. The heads handle |04 and after engagement is made with1F91 these bolts provide spacers between the the eye |02 the handle isslipped under a spring standards 88 and the bar members of the framecatch |05.- Both the spring catch and the hook 54. The said bar membersare emplacedupon are attached tothe frame 54.

the bolts 10, the former having common holes The operation is readilyunderstood. It was 18 to receive the bolts, whereupon nuts 14 are A,previously stated that the spring 81 is wound screwed down tight on thethreaded ends of the h and the spring 88 is unwoundv when the boom boltsagainst the bar members so as to virtually 2v is in the lowered andinactive position in Fig. 1. convert the bolts 10 into hubs for theframe 54. v Thus the spring 81 constitutes a positive power Theassemblage at these lpoints is completed member and the spring 88 anegative power or by screwing nuts 15 onto the threaded ends 1| shockabsorber member. Upon releasing the of the shaft 99. 'I'hese nuts arelightly fitted boom by disconnecting the clamp 91 there isan against thetips of the hollow bolts-10 so as not immediate automatic upward swingdue to the to interfere with the turning of the so-called stored tensionin the spring 81. The unwinding hubs 10 and spring housings as a unitupon the 40 of the spring 81 will raise the boom toward its shaft B9,erect position. When the boom reachesv a posi- A pair of spring housings15, 1-1 is carried by tion approximately medially of its prone and theframe 54. Each of these housings consists of erect positions, thewinding of the spring 88 coma cylindrical casing having a flange 18 onone mences. The momentum of the boom in its upend and an internallythreaded rabbet 19 on the 45 swing is thus absorbed by the winding ofthe other end. A disk ,80 is screwed into the respec- Spring 88. tiverabbet to constitute a, closure for one end of The hook terminal 89 ofthe spring 81 is anthe spring housing. The flanges 18 are bolted atchored to the standard 81 (Fig. 6) and does not 8| to the bars 58, 59 ofthe frame 54, sleeves 82 partake of any motion. The terminal 90 movesbeing slipped on the bolts between the anges 18 50 in the direction ofarrow a when the boom is reand the respective arms to constitute spacersleased. 8S Stated. The lmWinding 0f the Spring (Fig. 5). The frame 54,hollow bolts or hubs 10 81 causes turning of the frameand housing asandspring housings 19, 11, thus comprises. turnsemblage in thecounterclockwise direction (arable unitas indicated above. Y row b, Fig.3).

The mode of assembling the foregoing parts Since the terminal 9| of thespring 88 is proof the unit is well illustrated in Fig. 5. The pelled inthe direction of arrow c (Fig. 6) it folfianges 18 are necessarilyvremote from each lows that winding of the spring 88 will commence other,the closure disks `being in confronting as stated, the terminal 92 ofthe latter being relationship. These disks have elongated holes anchoredto the standard 88; When the boom 88, 84. Similar holes 85, occur in thestand- 60 reaches the half way position (Fig. 3) while still ards 88,91, contiguously to the open ends of swinging in the direction of arrowd. the Springs the spring housing, 81, 88, will be at an approximateequilibrium.

The latter contain heavy coil springs 81, 88. The spring 81 will besubstantially unwound and These springs are similarly wound. They arethe spring 88 is about to be wound. But the disposed in tandem asillustrated in Figs. 5 and 6,- 65 boom 2 and its frame 54 are fairlyheavy and the and the convolutions thereof are pitched in a momentumimparted thereto by the initial uncommon direction. The respectivesprings 81, 88 winding of the spring 81 is-suillcient to carry the havehook terminals 89, 90 andy 9|, 92. These boom to the erect position(Fig. 4) and at the terminals are connected to the standards which Sametime t0 COIllpletelY Wind the Spring 88. provide a common anchorage, andto the spring 70 As the spring 88 becomes wound more tightly housings inthe serial order oi the holes 88, 83, it Will take the Weight 0f theb00m When in the 84 and 85. vertical position. It acts as a shockabsorber, The springs 81, 88 naturally have aninherent preventing thefoot plate |0 from driving hard tension. 'I'hey are so coupled to theboom movagainst the ground and thus jarring the derrick able frame 54and the stationary standards 56, 75 unnecessarily. By the time the boomreaches 4 f g the erect position, tno spring its" wm have the samesupertension that the spring l1 had initially, the spring 81 then Thestored tension in the spring 83 is ultimately used to automaticallylower the boom and nition circuit 32 which, as previously explained,

is maintained in the closed position by the normal closure of the switch28. The'spring 2l resists the recession of the insert Il inwardly of theboom I, but when the load imposed on the sheave 38 exceeds the tensionof the 2U, the collapse of the latter results in an of the switch 28, anopening of the ignitionficlf'- cuit 32, and the'stopping of the engineE. #The automatic control thus allorded is regarded as being ofconsiderable importance in that it insures the avoidance of damage tothe derrick mechanism.

In conclusion it is desired to point out that the erecting principle ofthe invention isnot necessarily conned to a portable derrick. The boom lmay constitute any equivalent carrier, for example, a ladder. It isreadily perceivable that if the boom were substituted by a ladder, thedevice would be well adaptable as an auxiliary to fire rightingapparatus. 'I'he ladder, if the carrier were so constructed, couldbeeasily, quickly, and effectively erected, the mode of operation thenfollowed being identical with the description of the latter already setout.

I claim: Y

1. A derrick comprising a boom, a frame to which the boom is rigidlysecured, and elevating mechanism for erecting the boom, includingpositive and negative .power members, means commonly connecting aportion of said power members to the frame thus to build up the negativepower member simultaneously with erecting the boom by spending thepositive power member, and an anchorage to which other portions of saidmembers are also commonly connected.

2. A derrick comprising a boom, a frame to which the boom is rigidlysecured, elevating mechanism` for the boom including a, spring underinitial tension to constitute a power member, clamps means for holdingthe goom down against the tension of said spring, said clamp means beingdisconnectible to release the boom for automatic movement to an erectposition, and a spring initially relaxed to constitute a shock absorbingmember, being put under tension by said boom to check its movement asthe boom nears its erect position.

3. A derrick comprising a boom, a frame to whichA the boom is rigidlysecured, elevating mechanism for the boom consisting of a pair ofsimilarly convoluted springs, one of the springs being wound, the otherspring being unwound and both of the springs having terminals, saidsprings being 4disposed in tandem so that their convolutions are pitchedin a common direction, means by which the spring terminals nearest eachother are coupled to the frame, and rigid means turnably supporting theframe and. probeing practically unwound.

viding an anchorage for thev other and remote terminal of the springs.

A 4. A derrick comprising a boom, a frame to which the boomis rigidlysecured, supporting means on which the frame is turnable, .and ele-`vating mechanism for the boom comprising a spring couple, one oi thesprings being under supertension the other spring being under neutraltension, each of the springs having a pair o! terminals connected to therespective frame and supporting means.

5. A derrick comprising a boom, a frame andv shaft assemblage to whichthe boom is rigidly secured, supporting means turnably carrying theshaft of said assemblage at a pitch to a iloor tol which said means isadapted to be secured, thereby to standthe boom at an inclination tosaid floor when erected, andI elevating mechanism fory saidboomgincluding a spring with two terminals, oneor the i-,eniur1o1s4being' connected to y`the supporting ,means-the jother terminal vbeingconnected to the frameiand shaftassemblage.

6. A derrickcomprising a boom, a base plate having a pair of standardsupstanding from the base plate at an obtuse angle, a shaft supported bysaid standards in perpendicularity thereto thereby disposing the shaftat a pitch to the base plate. and a frame to which the boom is attached,being mounted on said shaft.

7. A derrick comprising supporting means adapted to be stationarilysecured to a floor, a frame and shaft assemblage, the shaft portion ofwhich is turnably lournaied on said supporting means, a boom rigidlyattached to the frame portion of the assemblage, rest means supported bysaid floor, against which the boom is adapted to be laid in its inactiveposition, a spring motor coupled to the supporting means and to saidassemblage, being under initial tension to raise the boom away from saidrestmeans, and clamp means embodied in the rest means, being adapted tosecure the boomA to the rest means against the tension of said springmotor.

8. In a derrick, a carrier, a frame to which the carrier is rigidlysecured, stationary supporting means to which the frame is hinged,latleast one n spring housing embodied in the frame and being turnable withthe frame on said hinge, and

a coil spring encased by the housing, said spring having terminals, oneof which is anchored to the supporting means the other terminal beingattached to said housing.

9. In a derrick, a boom, a frame to which the boom is rigidly secured,stationary supporting means to which the frame is hinged, a pair ofspring housings embodied in the frame and be- ,ing turnable with theframe on said hinge, and

a coil spring within each housing, one being initially supertensionedand the other initially unwound, each of the springs being anchored bothto the supporting means and to the respective housings so that theunwinding of the supertensioned spring will tend to put the unwoundspring under tension.

10. In a derrick, a boom, a frame to which the boom is rigidly secured,said frame consisting of bars, a pair of spring housings and a shaftconstituting a unit to which the bars are commonly secured, a stationarysupport on which the shaft is journaled thus making the frame turnableto erect the boom, and a spring encased by each one of the housings,each spring having ends respectively anchored to the stationary supportand to the respective housing.

11. In a. derrick, a boom, a frame to which the boom is rigidly secured.said frame consisting oi plural bars, a stationary support having ashaft journalled therein, hub means connected to the bars and mounted onthe shaft, a pair of spring housings concentric to the shaft, havingflanges and means by which the ilanges are rigidly secured to the framebars so as to comprise a frame and housing assemblage, and a springencased by each housing, each spring having hook ends one oi' which isanchored to the support, the

other being anchored to the respective housing.

`12. `In a derrick, a sheave. fork consisting of side plates, eachhaving at least one branch, a

sheave journaled in the fork and having the branches terminatingsubstantially at the perimeter thereof, and a rope keeper bridging therope passage of the sheave, being hinged at one end to one of thebranches.

13. .In a derrick, a boom, an axle, a fork carried by the boomsupporting the axle, a sheave journaled on the axle, inherently separateeyes to receive guy ropes to stabilize the sheave when the boom iserected, and means commonly securing the eyes to the axle and the axleto the fork.

GEORGE HANIQUE'I.

